


Before the Thunder

by MsEnny



Series: Thunder Series [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec takes no shit, Alternate Universe - College/University, Eventual Fluff, Frat Parties are crazy, M/M, Magnus Bane Is Quite Magical, Or is it angst?, Plot based in RL, halloween party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 16:35:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11294523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsEnny/pseuds/MsEnny
Summary: Magnus groaned, annoyed.“We’re doing it wrong. We’re not being romantic at all. This kind of things are supposed to be cheesy. Pink and fluffy, and with ‘war of hearts’ playing in the background.”Alec smirked at that.“Romance is for television. This is real life. If it’s not weird, it doesn’t count.”





	Before the Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO! I hope you are okay, guys! :)  
> I'm happy today because as you can see I have something new for you. 
> 
> 'Before the thunder' is part 1 of the 'Thunder' series. Said serie is based on the song of Imagine Dragons. (my favorite band right now)
> 
> This pretends to be three chapters, but I'm still planning what to do because I'm not done with 'The daily villain' and time is not something I have lately. Still I want to share this.
> 
> ENJOY

“This is it guys!” 

Isabelle Lightwood, with a smile in her lips, walked directly to the big window that ocuppied the whole front wall.

The view from there was amazing, the sun was barely showing anymore. The night, coming up to the sky, was beautiful. The stars stared showing one by one, shinning and giving the impression of being closer than ever.

Austin has been everything to them this last month. Alec wasn’t sure what to expect when their parents decided to send them there. He was kind of mad at the beginning because, come on, what reason could be worth missing a whole month of school? He still don’t get it, not back in home, not when they landed in Texas, and definitely not four weeks after that. 

His siblings were other story, though. Since they knew about this, the happiness in their faces were permanent. That can be explained easily. 

Jace was a man of adventure. He wasn’t afraid of changes. He liked surprises and risks. It was the reason he accepted de imposition from their parents with a firm nod and with suitcases well packed in the front door two nights before the trip.

On the other hand, Izzy was taken by surprised just like Alec, and just like him, she started demanding answers. Truth to be told, she was upset for different reasons that Alec. 

Izzy was the bee queen in their university. It is pretty unusual when a girl like her, who has been in that place for a year, can be admired and recognized in every building of the school. New York, after all, is full of surprises. And his sister was so used to that glamorous situation, that leaving her kingdom was the worst thing in his mind. Or at least that were her thoughts when she got up in the plane. 

One moment after landing, when the guys in the airport didn’t stop looking at her, she was happy again. 

Now she’s enjoying the same attention here in the south. She’s popular. 

The thing is, Izzy, Jace and him came to Austin totally blindfolded. For a spontaneous whim of their parents, for a couple of persons that were claiming, clearly lying, about how good is studying abroad and spreading wings. 

What the fuck can they know about studying abroad? They! The same persons that forced, subtly, the career choices of their children. They. The parents that denied any help to whoever decided not to stay in New York for college. 

Alec felt terrible angry the first week in the UT. Not because the place wasn’t freaking amazing, because it was. The campus was beautiful, full of green areas and people from other countries. Everything was at his fingertips. The buildings were so tall and the student’s spirit was full of emotions now that the Longhorns were having games to play every weekend. 

It was a fascinating experience. 

But also it was forced, and that was an issue he had to deal with. 

Then, when the second week came to him, Alec started to accept his present with a smile and a soft beat in his heart. He really, really liked Austin. And he really, really wished that the imposed month would last forever. 

Freedom tasted good.

“Come on, sister. You better hurry up.” Jace yawned, completely bored. “We’re wasting precious time. I could be hooking up with someone already.”

Isabelle turned her head to Jace, the blond boy wearing a super weird costume of... of... what the hell was he?

“Are you done? I thought you were still putting on that outfit of… vampire, right?” She asked confused, with a frown.

“I’m not a vampire!” He exclaimed, offended with the simple suggestion. 

“Then what are you? You’re just wearing the same boring clothes of every day. Black jackets and leather pants are not that cool.”

“I’m a shadowhunter.” Jace smirked, honestly proud of his creativity.

“What the fuck is that?”

“You mundanes don’t understand anything.”

“Call me that again and I will kick your ass with my whip.” She said, adjusting his ‘Indiana Jones’ clothes. 

Alec won’t say anything, -of course he needed to protect his own life from her sister, thank you very much-, but even if she looked like a hot-girly version of that character, he still believed that people can confuse her as the keeper of a zoo. A beautiful keeper, but yeah.

However, the older of the siblings stay unmoved in his bed, watching the others argue about their bad taste. Every Halloween was just like this, which was okay with Alec. The fact of not being in home was perfectly countered with the normality in the Lightwood’s relationships. 

“Alec, are you sure about your clothes?”

Izzy’s question made him look up to them.

“I told you, guys. If you want me to come with you, I’m totally not dressing up as anything.”

“You’re no fun, brother.”

Thank God, they let it be. Maybe a black jacket and a white t-shirt wasn’t the risk that it’s needed in a night like this, but Alec wasn’t going to change his comfort just for the pleasure of two siblings that are still looking for candies in their way out of the dorms. 

The clock was pointing at nine, and they knew what that meant. 

 

 

Alec has to admit that Halloween had passed every year in front of his eyes without making a big impression on him. 

Year after year, the older Lightwood was in charge of the door when little kids came knocking with his hands full of sugar and other liquids that he prefers not to talk about. 

It was awful at first because Alec is bad at lying, which means that if a kid’s costume is a failure, his face will not hide the pity and the truth. Still, each time he tried to put a friendly mask, -the same one he uses with Izzy when she complains about, well, everything-, he did a good job. 

That simple action is what let Alec pass festivities without the feeling of being a ‘grinch’ or a bad person.

“The streets looks empty.”

“Yeah, maybe because the whole neighborhood is already getting drunk.”

Alec nodded, believing Jace. Probably the student population was already losing their minds in alcohol. Although it was early to be lost in a party, it seems that things happen faster here.

Anyway, the plan was quite simple. 

They’re spending the night in a popular party organized by frat boys from the UT. 

Who this frat boys? It doesn’t matter. None of them have any relation to them, no Lightwood have ever heard from that fraternity, but a fellow roommate told Jace it was going to be epic. 

So there they were, walking on the streets in a particularly cold night, with her sister shivering sometimes for the stupid shorts she’s wearing, and with his brother fighting with the way his golden hair don’t surrender by him. 

“This heals are already killing me. Are we close?”

“Yes, actually we’re here.” Alec pointed at the screen of his phone. 

If there’s something Alec is completely sure in this life, is that Google Maps is a life savior when you are out of your home. 

The house in front of them was huge but somehow cliché. Two levels painted in white, a big garden around it. Izzy sighed loudly, probably worried about her shoe’s choices. The grass and high heels wasn’t a good combination, and if you are planning to dance, it’s just a big mistake. 

Jace started laughing like a maniac, capturing the attention of his siblings. 

“Guys, don’t look now, but there’s an enormous condom dancing in the sidewalk.” He chuckled. 

Izzy gasped, hiding her mouth with both hands. 

Alec smiled awkwardly, pretty sure this wasn’t the worst costume they’re going to admire tonight.

 

 

“Fifteen dollars? Are you crazy?” Jace crossed his arms, not happy about the news. 

“If you want we can go back to the dorms, Izzy can lend you a nice dress and you can go in for free.” Alec mocked him, with his wallet in hand. Jace pouted at him. He, fucking, pouted. “Stop being a drama queen, you were the one who brought us here in the first place. Fifteen dollars are the less of my worries now.” And with that, Alec handed thirty dollars to the guy who was fighting Jace for the ‘cover’.

After that inconvenient and a ‘break-bones’ hug from Jace, Alec found Isabelle walking carefully to the porch of the house. 

Maybe girls could go in for free, but that didn’t absolve her from feet pain.

The garden was nice, if you took a moment to appreciate the trees and the flowers around. Of course, it was difficult when at least fifty souls were dancing and moving without any care. 

Alec could tell that the party was in the half-way of its time of life. A lot of students, some familiar faces, were wasted already, doing drunk things that were common in a party like this. 

In a firefighter uniform, Alec can recognize Thomas, from Grammar class with Ms. Fairchild. On the other corner of the field, Beth Criss, his partner in English class, was wrapping her arms to a beautiful tall girl. Clearly that was a surprise, but it was nothing compared to what you can find once you step in the house of a frat party.

“This is what I’m talking about!” Exclaimed Jace, like he was in the middle of a Christmas morning. 

Girls kissing boys. Girls kissing girls. Boys kissing boys. Sometimes everyone kissing… everyone. And doing more than just kissing.

Is that a…? Never mind. 

The music was too loud. Alec felt his body trembling with the sound. Looking at his right, Izzy was like a fish in the water, moving her hips and combining herself with the dancers in the main floor, but Alec, well, he felt more like a fish trapped in Time Squares. 

It took him a blink to notice Jace was nowhere to be found, what left him alone and a bit annoyed. 

“You are a disgusting piece of shit! I’m going to kill her and make you watch, you motherfucker!”

The scream had so many feelings in it that the music couldn’t suppress it. A girl, a drunk blonde girl, shook her arm furiously from the touch of an angry boy and started walking away with a couple of her friends following her steps. Alec could tell this drama was normal. You can’t get your ass drunk and expect no consequences or humiliations. 

“Kayla, come on! Don’t do this right now!” The guy screamed back, getting away too. 

Alec smiled, content with himself. 

Sometimes being single wasn’t that bad.

 

 

“What do we have here?” A voice pulled him out of his candy crush game.

Alec looked up to find a guy, casually dressed as a pirate, staring at him with a cocky smile and one of those red cups in one hand. Said guy was leaning himself in the wall Alec has been using as support for almost fifteen minutes, when the idea of looking for his siblings was forgotten. 

There was no way he could find them in that ocean of lust and sin. 

“I’m Raj.” The boy talked again, noticing Alec was clearly surprised by the attention and not willing to forget the phone in his hands. “Are you having fun?”

“Yeah, I guess.” He shrugged. 

This is not going to work. Alec is bad at a lot of things, but small talk with strangers was in the top three of that list, for sure.

“I came here with a couple of friends. They’re over there.” This Raj guy pointed to a guy with red head, the same with a Harry Potter’s scarf, and a girl with really long blond hair and butterfly’s wings, both of them looking their way while giggling, probably enjoying the fact that Raj approached a stranger and was trying to… to what exactly? 

“Oh, well… I came here with my brothers.”

“I see. Then you are on your own because…?”

“They left to find drinks. I bet they’re trying to find me right now. It must be a difficult task when the whole campus is coming in the house.” He explained, half lying, hating the need to justify things to a boy Alec will never see again. 

“All right.” Raj stopped smiling so long ago that now discomfort was the only emotion left. “Uh, I think I forgot your name, let’s thank to six beers in an hour.” He grinned, taking a new sip from the cup. “Care to remind me, handsome?”

“Alec.” The tall boy said, sliding the phone in his pocket. “And you didn’t forget my name. I just never told you. So yes, maybe the beer is too strong. You shouldn’t drink. I can’t even recognized a single word coming out of your mouth.” 

Raj looked at him a little upset? If Alec had doubts the first ten seconds, he became sure when the man gave him a bitter look and headed out of Alec’s sight. 

What? Did he say something wrong?

Sighing, he decide that being trapped in that human jungle wasn’t worth it anymore. 

 

 

Once outside, the Lightwood boy felt his lungs fill with cold fresh air. It was pleasant how a garden with a couple of trees in it was a better place to party that walls full of disconcerting fluids. Even when the house was full, a lot of people was keeping the event alive in small groups around the garden. Also in the street. 

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you forever, Alec!” 

“Izzy, thank God.” 

His sister approach him with small steps. She looked tired. And still, it was easy to get confused by the red cup in her hands. 

“What?”

“Is that beer?”

“Gross. Of course not.” She denied, taking a long sip. “It’s vodka, dummy.”

Alec rolled his eyes, taking a breath to absolutely fight her on this. She wasn’t supposed to drink at all today. And if she was going to do it, the condition was not to disappear like she did before.

As Isabelle’s savior, Jace showed up in that moment, excusing himself from a little group of people. His golden hair was a mess, more than ever. He was all sweaty and what was that smell? Did Jace drink a fucking bar? And was that a cigarette in the pocket of his ’shadowhunter’ jacket?

Fucking siblings.

Fucking unsupervised parties!

“Before you say anything, I promise you, I haven’t smoke at all.”

“And we’re going to believe you.” Izzy started laughing. It was obvious she wasn’t going to take Alec’s side, not seriously, and not if she wanted to get out of her ‘not-drinking’ problem. “Stop it, Alec. You need to have fun. This was supposed to be the best night of our trip, remember?”

“Izzy’s right. Brother, you haven’t drank anything, you haven’t talked to a single soul.” Jace argued, with a hand in the shoulder of a grumpy Alec. “Well, that’s not true. Tell us, did that creepy guy talk to you?”

“You knew!” Alec accused him. 

Jace snorted. “Of course I knew! Did you not see him eyeing you since the moment we arrived? He was fucking hunting you.”

The older tried to suppress the dramatic feeling of treason.

“It wasn’t funny. I made him mad.”

“It’s funny. Now you can hook up with him and like, have babies with him or something.” Jace said, finally showing how drunk he was.

The little hiccups weren’t a strong clue, after all.

Rolling his eyes, again, Alec headed directly to the table keeping the drinks and the fucking red cups.

He was too sober for this shit.

 

 

Alec hated alcohol. It was just not for him. The bitter taste makes his face contract in bad ways and that was not funny. 

Also dizziness wasn’t fun either. 

At least with a red cup in hand, people don’t look at him with weird expressions. 

That were Alec’s conclusion before something life-changing happened to him.

 

 

Under a fucking tree. 

Alec was standing there, talking to Jace about the risks of smoking at young age, when something under the nature’s bounty caught his eye. It was a man. A beautiful one. Or a boy. It was difficult to label guys like Alec when they’re trapped between adulthood and the death of teenage years. 

The boy was completely alone, trying to make his way out of the tree embrace. He was stumbling, kind of. His steps weren’t firm but he was trying to keep up, right foot, and then left. On repeat.

Alec sighed.

At this time, almost midnight, will somebody else stay sober? Someone besides himself?

Halloween was an excuse. No one can tell him otherwise. People smelled worse than the bottom of a Ron’s bottle and acted like children in need of attention. His brother and sister wasn’t the exception, they were, in fact, the example. 

Jace wasn’t listening to him anymore, Alec could see the way he was eye-fucking a small redhead that was dancing in a chair a few inches away, with a lot of chances to fall off.

Izzy wasn’t different. She was protecting the cup in her hands, aware of Alec’s intentions of taking it away. She was balancing herself, following the rhythm of the annoying music.

Alec sighed, again.

Looking back at the weird, but handsome boy near the tree… Alec froze. 

The stranger, looking around like if he had lost something, stopped his eyes into the Lightwood group. Why that happened? Alec felt the mystery grab at his heart the same way his hand let the red cup fell.

“Hey!” 

“Oh, God.” Alec mumbled, feeling the stress taking over. 

He already messed things up with a drunk Raj, a guy he didn’t like at all. It isn’t bad when you can ignore someone’s beauty, in fact that makes it easier to forget the episode and let your self-esteem intact. 

But now this other boy is coming to him -to them-, with all his glorious face and with that costume full of glitter that was provoking interesting things in Alec’s chest…

There wasn’t other option here. Alec was about to make a fool of himself.

“Howdy-do, people!”

The three Lightwoods locked their eyes on the new face. The surprise was printed in all of them. Not because a stranger is talking to them, -that kind of weird was left in the street, outside the frat party-, the surprise was in the boy’s arms and the objects there.

“Not better than you, that for sure.” Isabelle was the first to talk. “Are you planning on drinking that?”

“Is that a challenge? Because my answer is hell yes.” The boy smiled, a tipsy smile. It was obvious to everyone that ‘beautiful boy’ was enjoying himself. He was way ahead of all of them. He was drunk, plenty. That’s why they were surprised in the first place. 

The boy was hugging four beers to his chest, like it was a matter of life or death.

Jace laughed, palming the stranger’s shoulder, his way to say hi. 

 

 

“Then you’ve been everywhere, Magnus!” Izzy said, totally excited. She had a lot of dreams. One of them was visiting every country of the world.

Magnus giggled. “Not everywhere. But I can say I’m lucky. I have visited cool places.”

“And I bet you speak a lot of languages too!”

“A couple. Mostly I enjoy Spanish, because I have friends in Peru.”

“Really? We have an aunt in Mexico. She had taught us a little of Spanish but I have to admit is still difficult for me to speak it fluently.”

“Tal vez si hablo español, tu hermano dejará de ignorarme.”*

If Alec blushed or not, is something he will not tell to anyone. 

He had been listening to the chat between Izzy and ‘beautiful boy’ Magnus, not wanting to say a word. Magnus was fascinating, he has to be honest. He wasn’t nothing but a box full of surprises. He was smart and funny, even though his mind was swimming in alcohol, he wasn’t losing his senses, on the contrary. He was all polite and nice.

Alec was… impressed. 

“No te estoy ignorando.”**

Magnus’s smile is bright and warm.

Suddenly, the cold night wasn’t cold anymore.

 

 

Isabelle laughed, one more time. It was ridiculous how funny Magnus was. Funny and so fucking hot.

She wasn’t blind. The two boys there were having a moment. The type of moments that Alec ignores on purpose and the mainly reason why he’s single. 

Izzy knew her brother better than anyone, he was scared of Magnus, but also he liked him. The hands hiding behind him, the eyes moving around, not making a permanent contact. Alec had this little signs that screamed ‘a crush’ in his whole body. And it was nice to see that happen, because it didn’t happen often and that was sad.

Magnus, well, he was hot. Under the makeup and glitter, -which was fantastic-, a really strong and noble guy was showing his charm in the name of his mission. Izzy can see it. Magnus likes Alec, he can’t quit smiling at him nor stop his eyes from shining.

And that was it.

You can’t blame her if she wants to do something about it. 

“Well, this party is ending.” She commented, and it was true. People were leaving, a lot of them half naked, and some others hugging each other to maintain stability. “I’m going to find Jace. I’m sure he’s wrapped to the redhead we saw him with.” Alec sighed, believing the idea Izzy just put in the air. “Alec, you should help Magnus.”

“Help him?”

“Yes! Look at him. He’s falling asleep.”

The Lightwoods admired the ability Magnus had. He was closing his eyes, balancing himself, somehow. The picture was clear. A drunk guy that was going to collapse any moment. It was dangerous, Alec knew it.

“I’m fine, Isabelle.” He smiled, his eyes shut. “I-… I live close. I think I can make it.”

“No way. You can’t.” Alec stated, firmly. 

“Oh, so supportive.” 

“See? He needs you, brother. Go and help him. We’ll be okay.”

The older felt anxious. Izzy was right, the boy was totally drunk at this point. It’s not a good idea let him go like this. What if something happen to him? What if he gets hurt? 

On the other hand, Jace and Izzy weren’t as drunk as Magnus, but still Alec had to be responsible. They were his responsibility.

“Magnus, do you really came alone?”

“I didn’t. I came here with my friends Ragnor and Raphael, but the bastards left me and never came back. I don’t know where they are.” He shrugged. “But seriously, guys, I’m okay. I don’t want to be a burden. I’ll just go home, take a shower, play some video games while I finish my beers, and that’s it, a good Saturday morning in bed.”

“It’s a good plan.” Alec whispered, still thinking.

 

 

At the end of the night, Isabelle Lightwood won.

She promised to be careful, before disappearing in the crowd.

 

 

Walking in the campus was a pleasure. It’s like being in a bubble.

Alec steps were slow. Hands in the pockets, eyes in the stars. 

Silence.

This wasn’t the night he was expecting. Halloween wasn’t like this in New York. 

If he were at home, he would be eating candies, the TV would be playing some boring movie about monsters or supernatural stuff, and Alec would be fine with it. If he were at home, his parents would be sleeping already, after making clear that his brothers weren’t allowed to leave the house under any circumstances.

If he were at home, Alec wouldn’t be feeling the blood stuck in his cheeks and his heart beating faster than normal. He wouldn’t be freaking out about going home with a stranger. Only worried to not fall asleep before turning off the lights.

And yet, there’s beauty in this moment. There’s beauty in moments like this one. 

Alec had never felt like the type of guy who can flirt and obtain something in return. He always had thought that romance has to come naturally, and also in the right moment.

Sadly, it was more than obvious that this was not the moment. Not at all.

Four weeks ago, Alec would have thrown himself in this. At his way, of course. 

Shy, simple, awkward way. 

But when you like someone, even though you’re all insecure and afraid, the hope burning in your heart can lead you to actions, and that can lead you to actually being brave and put your heart there, in the fire line.

Four weeks ago, Alec would have tried, somehow.

But now, well… he’s leaving Texas in a couple of days, he barely knows anything about Magnus, and if you add that the guy is probably not remembering a thing tomorrow morning… 

Tragedy can live in beauty too.

 

 

Magnus said the truth. His apartment was close. Five minutes walking and Alec pictured the building. A nice place. A nice part of the campus.

If Alec gasped when Magnus admitted that he lived in the penthouse, there was not witness of it. 

“Alec, please, don’t think for a moment that I’ll leave you go without inviting you in. That would be very rude of me and I’m drunk, not amnesic. I have education.”

“I don’t know.” Alec said, unsure. “I should go back. Jace and Izzy…”

The phone, that old friend, started ringing. Although it wasn’t a phone call, it was an answer he was afraid to tell.

‘We’re in the dorms. Jace’s sleeping. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t ;)’

Alec rolled his eyes, pretty sure the meaning of that was dirty and inappropriate. 

 

The loft was beautiful. Alec couldn’t stop wondering how an average student can afford a place like this. Walls painted in a soft yellow, elegant lamps, expensive carpets, furniture of the highest quality. 

If you look again you can notice a crystal door hiding behind nice curtains. A door that leads you to… a balcony?

“It’s beautiful.” 

“Indeed.” Magnus said, looking at Alec.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to snoop.”

“Oh, be my guest. It’s nice to have you here.”

The Lightwood boy smiled. Magnus was too kind to him. Was he always like that?

“For a drunk man, you’re handling pretty good.” Alec commented, an attempt to keep his anti-social skills away. “When Jace is drunk, he talks nonsense and constantly throws up.   
It’s horrible because he does that in inadequate moments.”

Magnus laughed, picturing the scene Alec was describing. 

“I bet Jace is a box of cuteness.”

“You have no idea.”

Magnus looked good, Alec’s not lying. The man is gorgeous, with his hair all messed up and his makeup already vanishing from the crazy night. It was obvious that even without help, he was handsome and the kind of guy you can just dream about.

How can someone like him be interested in someone like Alec?

Was Alec being naïve? Was he sure that Magnus was looking for ‘that’?

Flirting can be a so frustrating.

Magnus won’t stop looking at him, at his face. But why?

“So! Alec, what brought you here?” 

The question had an obvious answer for Alec, but Magnus expression made him realize he did not mean the loft. “Oh, you mean Austin.”

“Yeah. Izzy told me you’re from New York. And mentioned something about studying abroad, but I guess that story is the short version of something else.”

“It is.” Alec accepted. 

Magnus, who was curled up in the coach, made a gesture with his hand, inviting him to take a seat and explain. The eyes were full of interest, curiosity.

Alec wasn’t an expert, but complain about your parents and the mysterious ways they have to send you away, was not exactly a good way to spend the night in your crush home. Maybe if they were boyfriends or something it could be cute, as in trusting and caring for the other. But this wasn’t the case. They met an hour ago. Never aware of the existence of the other, never a glance at their lives before.

However, he just spilled everything out. The emotions he kept locked since Maryse and Robert Lightwood gave to him the plane tickets, the acceptance letters and a credit card, it just exploded in his mouth, like fireworks. 

If someone ever listen to that chatter, they’ll conclude that Alec hate his parents. And in some ways he thinks that too. They’re far from perfect. They’re rude, they’re intolerant and never listen to a word he says, because for them he’s twelve, confused and weak. 

Years keep passing and Alec can’t understand them, but in the bottom of his heart, he cares. Too much. 

This was not what Magnus was asking. Alec felt the tension emanating from the other end of the large couch. He wondered if this was already ruined.

This time he can’t blame his parents.

“Then you don’t want to be here.”

“I like it here. Austin is everything I could ask for.” Alec replied, trying to erase the sad tone in Magnus’ words. “What I don’t like is the abrupt way my siblings and I were kicked out of home. We have a life there. We were good, in peace. Our friends, our university… it’s not easy leave your life for something you don’t wanted in the first place.”

Magnus nodded, processing the whole story.

“I’m sorry.” 

“Why?”

For a brief moment, Alec thought his life was dramatic enough to provoke pity in another soul.

He was wrong, though. Magnus, sweet man in glitter, had his own secrets.

“I put your siblings at risk. You accompanied me instead of them, that wasn’t right. I’m sorry.”

That was sweet, and considerate. Alec smiled, softly. He never knew drunk strangers could be this lovely.

“As you saw” Alec pointed at the screen of his phone, with Izzy’s text still taking over. “They’re fine. Besides… Izzy was right, you’re drunk. You needed me more than them.”

“No, I did not.”

One blink.

“What?”

“Please, don’t be mad. I swear, it wasn’t my intention to be this immature and selfish.”

“What are you talking about?”

Magnus bit his lip. The gloss that existed once, disappear. It occurred to Alec that since they entered to the loft, Magnus was showing a sober attitude. Like if he did not drank at all. 

“I like you, Alexander.”

Alexander. Not Alec anymore. Not friends anymore. Just Alexander. 

Why he had to say it out loud? They were protecting the line. It was a safe line, the line dividing friends from impossible feelings. That kind of lines are helpful, they prevent unnecessary awkwardness, and now everything was just…

“You’re not drunk. You never were.” He realized, standing up for reflex.

Magnus was faster, was graceful. Quick movements and Alec was holding hands with Magnus ‘the liar’ Bane. 

“I’m sorry.”

“I get it, it’s okay.” No it is not. A handsome guy felt the need to use a façade for him. Magnus lied so he could talk to Alec. What could be okay in that? Nothing. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“You did nothing wrong. I did.” Magnus accepted, his guilt printed deep in his eyes. “I saw you two weeks ago, walking down the 6xth Street. I-… I was having fun there, with some friends, and I saw you, so tall-dark-and-handsome. Just my type of man. But then I saw Jace, hugging you, too close and yet too friendly. I assumed he was your boyfriend, or at least your date.” He explained, not letting go of Alec’s hands. “There was no chance to get to you. I was truly drunk that night and if blondie put up a fight, I wouldn’t be able to kick his ass.”

“Okay now that’s gross. Jace is my brother.”

“I know that now! I realized it tonight, when he was chasing Clary, the red head you saw dancing her legs out.”

Alec sighed, trying to relax a little.

“I get it, you like me.”

“I do.” He smiled. “You’re a catch, darling.”

“But you could have just talked to me.” Alec said, untangling his hands. He was not mad. Not really. Actually it was a better description the word ‘hurt’. That explained perfectly the ache in his chest and the weakness in his words. 

He can understand the story. Magnus likes him. Fine, perfect, a dream come true. But why the hell this has to happen now?

He is leaving the city! For God’s sake.

He barely knows Magnus, and he’s feeling heartbroken already. How fucked up is he?

“You’re unhappy.” Magnus pointed, standing closer. The guy was scared. The thought of Alec leaving the loft and never having the chance to talk to him again was scary.

“I like you too.”

There was no point in denying the obvious. He likes him. Magnus has all this qualities and yet he’s apologizing for liking someone like Alec. There’s nothing to not like.

Magnus groaned, annoyed.

“We’re doing it wrong. We’re not being romantic at all. This kind of things are supposed to be cheesy. Pink and fluffy, and with ‘war of hearts’ playing in the background.”

Alec smirked at that. 

“Romance is for television. This is real life. If it’s not weird, doesn’t count.”

“I can’t fight you on that.”

And after that, time, words and actions became one.

 

 

When the morning came in Magnus’ loft, the owner woke up with a headache. The reasons were multiple.

First, he remembered he brought cans of alcohol with him. Said objects were abducted not nicely from a stupid guy who was bothering Maia. Magnus don’t fight men in disadvantage, but that drunk head was out of line, so he gladly let him know that a girl is not an object you can grab for fun.

The second thing he can bring up is the drinking, not only the beer but a bottle of vodka half empty. Beer is okay, if you want to get drunk and hang out with friends, but Magnus wasn’t in a party anymore, he was in his loft, feeling the breeze come in from the balcony, feeling content with how a bad plan can change into the best decision of his life.

That is the third thing he remembers. Alexander Lightwood. Tall, dark and handsome. Adorable and sassy guy who happens to be Jace’s brother. Who is single –thank you God-, and willing to laugh at his innuendos and bad jokes. 

Crushing in a boy like Alec is hard. A vision like him can cause heart attacks and vivid dreams. And it should be illegal, because dying young is a tragedy and Alexander was an innocent murder, so who’s paying the price then?. 

Magnus couldn’t say a word to him for two weeks. He became a creep and let his eyes ravish the boy every time he had the chance, but nothing more. Never more. It was frustrating, but not as much as last night, when Raj, dear Raj, went to Alec and tried to have his way with him. 

Magnus saw red.

The bed was cold. Magnus was not a fool. Alec would never wake up on the same bed with a stranger. 

Maybe they did… stuff. Intimate stuff. But Alec was an old-fashioned man. Magnus shouldn’t feel a pang of deception curling inside his stomach. He should feel happy and proud.   
He didn’t let him go without being honest. He said his truth, honesty in every word, and then life happened, as always.

Alexander Lightwood should be flying away, like his hopes of being all over him this winter.

The bed was cold. And the letter in the pillow was warm, almost burning his entire heart.

 

'Dear, Magnus.

The time came, you were witness of my own words. I promise to you, again, that I didn’t know my parents were in a hurry to take us back. If I had knew, we would have never met in the first place. Parties are not a good idea when you have to be in the airport so early. 

I stayed the most I could, it wasn’t enough, though. Last night, being together, you made me open my eyes in more than a way. (Quit the smirk, you pervert). I like you, Magnus. And I still don’t comprehend why you want to be with me. Austin makes me lucky, I guess. 

You were right. Novels can be better than real life too. Just look at this! I’m a fucking Cinderella, disappearing the next day. (I have a sister, I know Disney crap, don’t judge.) What I’m trying to say is, thank you. For being an awesome listener, for sharing your knowledge, for changing my perspective in things. I never had vodka before, that thing you mixed it with was good. 

If you ever come to NY, let me know. My phone number is in the back of this embarrassing letter. You know my phone is always with me, so I’ll be waiting.   
Please don’t hate me for leaving. And please, now that we can’t be together, don’t be a stranger, stranger. 

Take care, ‘high warlock of Brooklyn’. (Worst drunk joke ever)

Truly yours,   
Alexander.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it!  
> This is weird because this story is based on something that happened to me last year. (I wasn't as lucky as Alec though lol) but I met this beautiful guy in a frat-halloween party and the other day I remembered him and I was like... this can be malec!
> 
> So yes, I'm thinking what can I do now. Leave it like this or work in two other parts. I don't know but I'll let you know, guys!  
> Tell me what you think! :)
> 
> Also here   
> “Tal vez si hablo español, tu hermano dejará de ignorarme.”* - Maybe if I speak spanish your brother will stop ignoring me.  
> "No te estoy ignorando"** - I'm not ignoring you.


End file.
